


Sworn to the Truth

by lapsaptong



Category: Dissidia: Final Fantasy
Genre: Has small elements of DFFOO, Heart-to-Heart, Kinda, Lifestream does shit to you, M/M, Monophobia, Pre-Relationship, Shantotto is very done with his shit, She's been and seen things, Slow Build, Squall is stupid stubborn, Truth Spells, Y'shtola be a therapist, fear of being alone, monsters and all that
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-04-06
Updated: 2019-04-06
Packaged: 2020-01-05 00:32:14
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,891
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18354923
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lapsaptong/pseuds/lapsaptong
Summary: Amidst the battle, Squall takes a magical spell for Onion Knight, only to be cursed to speak the truth. From that point, he attempts to keep quiet, no matter how much pain he has to suffer through.





	Sworn to the Truth

**Author's Note:**

> Just a small thing Truth spell prompt that popped up into my mind. I also don’t own anything? Everything belongs to Square Enix.

“What…” Squall groused, teeth clenching and his hands tightly balled into fists, “did you just say?”

“A truth spell,” Y’shtola supplied, silver eyes staring into frustrated icy blue ones, “The goblin mage hit you with a truth spell.”

“What’s going to happen to Squall?” Onion Knight asked, worry evident in his eyes and tone.

“Well, how do you feel Squall?” The Scion asked.

The phrase ‘I’m fine’ was already a prepared response in the gunblader’s head, and he opened his mouth to reply, but instead something else entirely came out of his mouth, "I think my side is bruised. Probably from one of the heavy hits the skeleton hit me with.”

Y’shtola nodded as Squall stared with wide eyes, clamping his mouth shut as if he just revealed a large secret. She placed the edge of her staff to his side, healing magic channeling through the other's side, who still looked shocked.

“Your lips are looser now, aren’t they?” Shantotto drawled, floating over to the small group, “the hex the goblin casted upon you makes you unable to lie when questioned."

A sickening feeling curled in Squall’s stomach as he swallowed audibly, trembling slightly.

( _What kind of bullshit was this?_ )

“Is there a cure or something?” Onion Knight asked, looking guiltily at Squall, who was biting his lip. It was his fault he didn’t see the goblin mage in time and the older teen had taken the attack for him.

"I’ll look into it,” the professor hummed, “But you, Squall.”

Squall grunted in response; he didn't trust what came out of his mouth anymore.

“From what I can sense, the hex will worsen the more you keep your thoughts to yourself,” Shantotto said, floating up to Squall’s eye level and looked him up and down, “I hope you don’t have any secrets. You’ll probably have none after this whole mishap.”

She waved her staff as the pain on his lips vanished.

“Thanks,” Squall mumbled, looking away, when he received that annoying laugh in response. He was going to be sick.

 ——

Y’shtola had informed Warrior of Light when the group returned to camp to report as Squall sat the farthest away from everyone. Some of them attempted to get him to join them, only to be sent away harshly and violently by the gunblader, who had bitten his own hand to stifle his words. Unwilling to waste a potion over something so small (and over something as stupid as him), Squall shuffled, moving towards Cecil, who was sitting and polishing his dark knight armor. The light paladin stared at him inquisitively, his clothed hand stopping its ministrations on the helmet as the brunette held out his bleeding hand impassively, eyes filled with nervousness and bleeding hand trembling slightly. Purple eyes followed the arm down and stopped at the bleeding bite mark, gentle hands taking the bleeding one into his hand. Casting holy healing magic over it, Cecil watched as the wound stitched itself together, leaving a minute scar, which made the paladin squint in worry.

How deep did he bite himself?

Cecil's brows furrowed even more in worry and concern as Squall pulled his hand away, giving a small nod in thanks before retreating to his tent, zipping it shut. "He was afraid I would not heal him," Cecil whispered as Cloud sat down next to him, green blue eyes staring at the tent, "We are all allies, are we not?"

"Even if we are, there are still some...barriers that some of us have in trusting others," Cloud said solemnly, "It can take one event to change the way someone thinks of the world and of people."

"...I assume you have experienced this feeling."

The blonde simply nodded and closed his eyes, "One too many times."

Eventually, Squall opened his tent from the scratching against the tent walls, scooting over to the zipped entrance and unzipping it, seeing Noctis standing there with a plate of food in hand. The onyx adult reminded Squall of a child in an adult's body, but at the same time, he could see the hidden fear and doubt in those crystal eyes. Noctis held out the palte as a peace offering when he received a cold glare, “I thought you’d be hungry.”

“I am. Thanks,” Squall said, the words just coming right out his mouth rather than his typical grunt. His scowl deepened and took the plate from Noctis albeit roughly, a tinge of regret in his mind. It wasn't right of him to take his anger out on Noctis.

( _It's my fault that I'm not strong enough to hold back my tongue._ )

“You can sit with us by the fire,” Noctis offered, ignoring Squall's cold attitude; he knew it sucked being under a status ailment, “It’s a bit cold out.”

“…no,” Squall forced out, clenching his plate tightly as his chest tightened in pain from the lie, "I'm fine where I am."

“Okay.”

Squall was grateful of the older adult leaving as fast as he did. The gunblader zipped the tent shut, set the plate down, and pressed a hand to his mouth while another went to his chest, clutching it while muffling the coughs of pain.

“Damn it…,” he cursed, seeing a small speck of blood. He just had to endure what the spell did to him until Y’shtola and Shantotto could find a cure.

____

Squall’s bitter and avoiding attitude began to grow worse by day as gunblader continued to harm himself when something was about to slip out. He was barred from missions as he was, in ways, a liability to any group. Y'shtola would stay behind with him, healing his injuries while monitoring the hex's damage. His well-known tolerance and patience with others also diminished quickly with the pain and raging thoughts in his head, waiting to be released.

It only took one morning for everything to go to absolute hell. Squall had stood in front of Firion as the weapons master smiled and handed him a plate of breakfast. The teen only nodded, turning to go back to his usual spot, only to be stopped by Bartz and Zidane.

"Sit by us! You're always alone!" Zidane exclaimed, clinging to Squall's leg. Bartz grabbed onto his arm as the two tried to immobilize him.

"Both of you-!" Cecil began, but his scolding was interrupted by the younger's reaction of fear and anger. Squall, forgoing his plate as it landed on the ground, reached back and grabbed Bartz by the shoulders, flipping him over and onto the ground. The adventurer yelped in pain as Squall grasped at Zidane, trying to pry him off and managing to yank on the blonde's tail. Zidane shouted, instantly letting go and holding his tail from the rough treatment.

"What's your problem?!" Zidane shouted, "We're just trying to help!"

"I don't need your help!" Squall growled, "I don't want your help!"

"Why?"

"BECAUSE ALL YOU TWO DO IS MAKE EVERYTHING WORSE!" He roared, livid gunmetal blue eyes blazing almost a brighter color as Zidane and Bartz shrunk on themselves, cowering. Squall angrily exhaled a mist of ice, closing his eyes and clenching his fists to reign in his bottled up emotions. Finally, he turned around and walked away from the group.

Bartz and Zidane avoided him like the plague after that while others stared at him, and for Squall, it left a mix of emotions. A part of him was happy that he was left alone, but at the same he was upset and angry with himself.

(I always mess things up.)

Finally, Shantotto found a potential cure after researching for a week, only for it to take another week to create. "I believe I can create a counter hex using the goblin mage's staff," she announced as Squall perked up, relieved that this damn nightmare would be finally over.

"Very well," Warrior of Light said, "While we search for the Gods, be on a lookout for these goblins."

"I will stay behind to monitor Squall's condition," Y'shtola sternly said, leaving no room for argument.

(I don't need protection.) Squall bit his lip to contain that outburst.

Everyone nodded, pairing up either randomly or with friends. Before she left, Shantotto checked over Squall, who wassitting in his usual spot by a lake with Y'shtola next to him, healing his scarred hand and lips of bites.

“What have I told you about keeping those secrets in?” Shantotto scolded as Y’shtola stared impassively at the other, "It is as if you wish to dig an early grave!" With an irritated huff, the professor teleported away. There was a tense silence between the two as Squall looked to the Scion.

"It's getting worse," Y'shtola murmured, "I can feel the hex taking a stronger hold of your heart and mind. Please, relinquish your thoughts aloud so that the pain can fade temporarily."

"B-But...," Squall choked, gasping and clutching his chest when he held back the words and thoughts.

Y'shtola's ears flattened in dismay, waving her hand in the air as a light blue barrier formed around them before vanishing. White eyes looked into pained steel blue ones, "Nothing you say will leave this barrier. Speak your thoughts freely. I will not look or treat you differently."

Squall inhaled shakily before looking down to his lap, his hands clutching the black leather pants, "I...I don't want to depend on others or me depend on them."

"Why is that?"

"I don't need friends who won't be around tomorrow," Squall said, his gaze hardened, but filled with fear and sorrow, "Nothing lasts. It feels great to have friends who believe in you, and adults you can rely on. That's why it's so dangerous, especially if you become used to it. Someday, you're bound to lose everything. Everyone around you will be gone. Then what are you left with? Nothing. Nobody... It's so miserable. And it's inevitable. It's so hard to recover from something like that. I never ever want to deal with that again. I can't."

(I'd break.)

He waited for Y'shtola to just up and leave him for having stupid and depressing thoughts, but instead, she placed a hand on his, squeezing lightly.

"It is not wrong to feel and think that way," the Scion said softly, "To see the allies and friends you cherish most...slain by your enemies or abandoning you for something else...you wish for it to be a simple nightmare." 

Squall glanced at the mage, her eyes staring ahead, reminiscent and hurt.

"To reject your human needs of companionship is a defense mechanism of your mind to cope with the still open wounds lay bare in your soul. It never fully heals, even if there are new allies and friends to join you by your side. You fear the same fate will befall you again, and so you wish to isolate yourself from them. However, they will still want to interact with you and understand you so that they better themselves in combat and as a better friend."

Squall swallowed as their eyes met.

"Do you think Zidane and Bartz hate me...?" he whispered.

"No. Simply put, they do not fully understand your pain and the reason of your outburst. In time, they will understand and realize their mistake, and perhaps, grow to be better."

He only nodded in response, slightly feeling a bit better about himself.

 

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading! (I hope I don’t get in trouble for putting a quote from FFVIII…)


End file.
